Black Tangled Heart
by SummerCommunist
Summary: Raven's return from NWA-TNA takes an unexpected twist...R will be later chapters. Co-story by Gwen the Kananite and TheRavenEffect. *Chaps 2 & 3 up*
1. Decisions

Disclaimer: This is in the wrestling is real universe. Insert obvious stuff here.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------  
His fist smacked into AJ Styles jaw, sending Styles falling backwards into the ropes, prompting him to clothesline AJ over the ropes. Styles, if he may think so, fell beautifully, his head cracking into the mat. And the man in the ring, the anarchist freak known only to his friends and enemies as Raven, smiled. This carnage, this brutality, was what he lived for. This was obviously why he was put on God's green Earth. To make insolent bastards like AJ Styles know their true positions on the chain of life, and that close to bottom. Raven, on the other hand, felt he was superior, above men, because he thought.........differently. He always had. Whilst children were out playing and wasting the precious commodity of time, Raven spent his time in a dark corner, thinking. Now, Raven knew almost everything he needed to know, and he wasn't even 35.  
Raven leapt over the top rope, catching Styles in the gut with an elbow. He could actually hear Styles's ribcage breaking, giving out. What followed was a testament to this, as Styles screamed. Oh, how delightful a sound that was. Raven picked up Styles and rolled him under the bottom rope, still smiling. He threw Styles into the ropes, and caught him with his infamous EvenFlow DDT, or Raven Effect. Styles's nervous system shut down, leaving him limp. Raven easily got the pin. But the victory seemed.........tasteless, bland. Raven didn't like this at all. His smile disappeared as he headed backstage, his mind already working, the gears already shifting. He wanted a victory that felt.........good. Fruitful, life bursting, whatever you may want to call it. Yet, unbeknownst to Raven, that would come sooner then even he thought.  
The locker room stunk. And as Raven pulled on a tight black tee, he was already aware of a person behind him. It was either his superior knowledge of his surroundings, or the tickling in the back of his head. Either way, he decided to speak. "If I asked what you want, would you tell me?" "Of course." The voice was instantly recognizable. Vince Russo, the owner of NWA-TNA. And, in Raven's opinion, a meal ticket and an asshole. "Whatever you want, Russo, it can wait until tomorrow."  
"Raven, it can't wait", said Russo, "This is something big, particularly involving you." "If it's about Styles's ribs, he had it coming. The little bastard is-" "No no, although he did have it coming. And frankly, you gave him what he deserved. But this is deeper then that. This goes all the way to your old running grounds."  
The fire inside of Raven started up again. "I don't care what happened on RAW. The WWE is nothing but a discrimi-" "Let me finish my statement, damnit! They want you back." Raven's body froze, and his brow furrowed. "B...back?" "Yes. They've made me a tempting offer, and I couldn't refuse. Your theirs again." The fire grew even bigger. "Forget it. I work for no one but myself. Good-bye."  
As Raven turned to leave, Russo spoke up. "Remember your 'masterpiece'?" Raven stopped, smiling once again. "How could I forget?" "They said they'd allow it. As long as you agree to wrestle again, full time." The gears were shifting once again. After a considerable amount of time, he finally said "Alright, Vince. I agree. I guess I'll never see you again. And, personally, I wouldn't have it any other way". And with that, Raven's short- lived NWA-TNA career was over. 


	2. Entranced

Black Tangled Heart  
  
Black eyes. Liquid, dark, nearly scary eyes stared at her. She turned her attention to the mouth, watching the cranberry lipstick being applied, smelling that faint cosmetic smell, Maybelline, Wet 'n Wild, Cover Girl.those chalky, makeup smells were the same regardless of brand. Her mouth turned upward into a small smile as the lipstick capped, the snap very satisfying. She dabbed at her lips, and rubbed a small bit of gray eyeliner away with her long fingernail. She turned away from the mirror, Steven standing behind her still, waiting like a faithful dog. His eyes were cloudy, blue, robotic. She laughed under her breath as she took a step toward him, running her hands through his hair. His gaze was unwavering as he extended his arm, spraying raspberry perfume above the two of them, the scent settling in her thick black hair.  
  
"Sweet slavery," she said to him quietly. They pulled away, Steven staring at her with an intense regard. His hands passed over her, not touching her, fingers moving with her shape, like she was sacred, like he wouldn't touch her. He sank to his knees. "Victoria." her name passed through his lips, breathing. She nodded her head once, grazing his cheek with the back of her knuckles. He bowed his head, a surrender. Curls fell down onto his forehead, into his eyes. Thick eyelashes brought a boyish aspect into him, innocent, at her mercy. She placed a finger under his chin, lifting his face upward. "We will reach perfection," she whispered, leaning in, laying a kiss on him, lipstick leaving one of those cartoon shapes, a perfect heart in pink print, branding his skin. It shone just lightly, like a luster, soft light like the shine of chrome. His grin spread, a full blown smile, something dead in all of it. Slavery. He was mesmerized, abused my his own obsession. His hands shook as she dominated him, staring down, liquid bullets, the faintest trace of hazel tone lost to the darkness. Insanity, misunderstanding, creeping behind the orbs, grinning. Appearing malignant, breathing hatred, but just dark. Steven understood that line, between dark and evil, which bled to others. They simply didn't know as he knew, as he fell as her possession. She was misunderstood, not crazy. Dark, but not evil. She had a heart, which was set on herself and Steven and ambition, one which drove her to have her way. A drive to win, to be loved by herself and worshipped by her slave. Deranged, not insane. Narcissistic, not schizophrenic. In herself she was a concept unconceivable, with a presence undeniable. Fear rippled in waves around her, her darkness eminent, highlighted by tight pink wrestling attire. For this beauty, the grace of a countess, a queen full of elegance and capable of tyranny. Ice, frosty Aphrodite. For this Steven was entranced, for her power and beauty, and because she demanded it of him. Once he'd seen her he'd fallen, victim of mind games and tantalizing. And once she'd noticed this she'd played off of it, a seductress, enchantress, all but pointing a wand full of glitter at him to make him come. It hadn't taken much, only his own heart, his own desires. Like she had a preternatural power over the eyes and hearts of men. And he couldn't even bring himself to touch her, her body stinging his hands like a golden goddess, as he felt lost between fading emotion and mechanism, unable to control himself. Drawn to her beyond his own accord, a machine, yet feeling ultimately lower than her. The way a person worships God. Steven stood slowly, chained in her gaze. "I love you." he said softly. She smiled, traced his lips lightly with her forefinger. "Yes.you should." 


	3. Back

It was the same, just like he left it. Even though he'd been gone for a few months, about three, it was still the same RAW, with a few new additions. Austin, for one, he thought, opening the glass door in a smooth manner. He was back where he belonged. He didn't need NWA anymore. He didn't need Vince Russo anymore. But he needed RAW. Here, he could do whatever he wanted, kick ass whenever he pleased. It was, truly, a beautiful thing. And as he walked down the hall to the locker room, Raven felt the same feeling he had last May. The feeling that he was home, where he thrived to exist. He had missed that feeling.  
  
The locker room was a banter of noise and nervousness, wrestlers grim-faced, preparing for their match. Raven just waltzed in, and things sort of got quiet for a split second. Then Raven kept walking and things returned to normal. He walked to his locker and sat, calm and collective. His old friend, Bradshaw, and his former business associate, Jonathan "The Coach" Coachman, walked over. "Hey Shaw, Coach. Can I help you at all?" "You sly, sumbitch'. You convinced Vince to let you back?" "Hey, he told me to come back. Said I could continue my masterpiece, Shaw. How could I refuse?" "...Say no?" Coach decided to step in. "Raven, you're scheduled for a HeAT appearance-" Raven quickly stood, startling Coach. "I'm not...going back to that hell. I'm on RAW only, nothing more." Coach nervously nodded. "I'll...just go talk to the guys...officials, I mean." Coach ran off, leaving Bradshaw smiling and Raven scowling. "Shaw, its people like that who infuriate me. That make me just want to break everyone's fingers. Corporate assholes and asskissers. Damn suck-ups always dirtying up the business. Anyways, Shaw, must go. I'm not scheduled for a match until next week, so I'll see you later." Raven left the locker room, leaving a smiling Bradshaw.  
  
Raven walked down the halls, checking things out, seeing how they had changed. He saw a few new faces and a few familiar ones. They all looked welcome enough. When they heard his stories, they wouldn't be so welcome. He passed Pat Patterson, Arn Anderson, and Jerry "The King" Lawler talking. Lawler saw Raven, and his eyes got wider. Raven shot him a furious look before continuing down the hallway. He came to a door, with the name "Eric Bischoff" on it. He smiled and opened it. Inside was a stressed out, slightly gray haired man, who looked older than ever. "Hello Eric." Eric Bischoff looked up, the obvious strain in his eyes. "How's life...or should I say...Austin treating you?" "Like something he found in the toilet. This guy's making me feel as old as Father Time. Disobeying, raising hell, making ruckuses. This wasn't what I expected." "Heh...Wasn't what Vince McMahon expected when he signed him to the WWE a while back." Eric smiled. "Yeah, I remember that. Watching those tapes brings me some good laughs." Eric's face returned to is stressful look. "Raven, go out there and get to know the crew again. They might have missed you. Oh, glad you grew your hair back out and braided it. That was a good look for you."   
  
Raven left the office. He looked down the hall to see a small trail of beer cans. He knew where they led, but decided to follow anyways. He found at the end of the trail a drunken Steve Austin standing on top of a crate, fending off security. "What? I said back the hell up! What? I said give me some damn room!" "Mr. Austin, please stop this nonsense. You have no right to harass people by cursing at the top of your lungs asking for more beer." "I have my damn rights, AND I WANT MORE GODDAMN BEER!" The security chief flinched. Raven smiled and said,"Come down, Austin. You're doing nothing but making beer farther." Austin finally noticed Raven, and frowned before coming down. The security tried to help him. "Get off me. I don't need your help." Austin slid off and security parted ways as Raven approached. "What, Tweety? Was stupid independent wrestling not good enough for you?" "In a way, yes. So, you just came back?" "Why the hell do you care? I have things to do." Austin gulped down his beer, threw it against the wall and left, with Raven staring after him. Austin stumbled a bit, banged his knee on a crate and yelped, but made it to his suite.   
  
Raven was mildly amused. Austin certainly didn't change. But he wondered about two other people: Tommy Dreamer and Steven Richards. Surely, something had happened to one of them, if not both. And they were said to be his only "true" friends. He decided to take a little walk to the locker room, where Dreamer would surely be. On his way, he ran into and irate Chris Jericho, who had been told he was a "sucker". Then into a jive-talking Booker T, followed by Rob Van Dam, Jeff Hardy and Shawn Michaels, and finally Christian, who was just outside of the locker room. "Hello, Chris." Christian turned, and his eyes got as wide as saucers. "R...Raven? I mean...Ravennnn...Wha.....What brings you back to RAW?" Christian said in a nervous voice. "Nothing much, really. At least nothing you need to know." "Al...Alright, that's cool." Raven passed him and entered the locker room. Secluded in a corner was Tommy Dreamer. Raven immediately made his way over to Tommy. "Hello, Tom." Dreamer looked up, his eyes squinting. "What the hell do you want, Raven?" "Nothing you can give me. I just wanted to say...hello." "Well, you said it. Now get the hell outta here." "Tommy, Tommy, Tommy...Have you not learned to be polite to your superiors? I have clearly accomplished more then you. I believe I deserve some resp-" "You deserve a shot to the mouth, you piece of shit!" Raven's smile quickly turned into a frown. Suddenly, he lashed out, his fingers finding Tommy's temples, and he squeezed as hard as he could. Tommy started to yell, but Raven silenced him by squeezing harder. "Now, now, Tommy. Haven't we learned to watch our mouth? I was hoping you had gotten rid of that habit. Apparently, you need some breaking in." Raven slammed his knee into Dreamer's gut, and Tommy collapsed, gasping and holding his head. "Hopefully, that will teach you something."  
  
Raven walked out of the room, his anger fading. He mentally kicked himself for losing control. Then he looked in search of Steven. He kept on looking, but didn't find anything. He stopped a janitor, who said he didn't know. He kept on looking and asked a technician, who said he was on right now, in a match. Raven rushed to the nearest T.V. and watched. Steven was moving with same grace he had before, an almost old school wrestling match. Finally, He won with a StevieT, as J.R. called it. Then he saw someone else. Someone...who looked very...brutal. That someone started beating down onto Steven's opponent, finally stopping. When she raised her head to the camera, Raven frowned. The woman was...disturbingly attractive. He immediately felt his old feelings come back. J.R. called her "Victoria". Raven could think of no better name. But she had his black heart beating. 


End file.
